MasterImage 3D shows glasses-free 3D on a 7-inch tablet display

MasterImage 3D, which lets you see 3D on smartphones without wearing special glasses, can now do the same thing on 7-inch tablet computer screens.

Stereoscopic 3D isn’t for everyone, but most people prefer the glasses-free technology. On big screens, it still doesn’t look good. But MasterImage 3D does a reasonably good job of doing glasses-free 3D on smartphones, based on what I saw at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. With constantly improving technology, stereoscopic 3D might actually be attractive some day.

It has a long way to go, but MasterImage 3D keeps moving the ball forward. The Hollywood, Calif.-based company is showing off its new 3D technology at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona this week. The company is also showing off a 3D user interface, akin to a holographic image, from content partner Scaleform at the show.

MasterImage 3D uses a cell-matrix parallax barrier, which delivers a wider viewing angle, brighter image, and portrait/landscape modes — in contrast to 3D displays that use a striped approach. In other words, MasterImage 3D presents detailed images to your left eye and right eye in a way that doesn’t result in ghosts or double images. Roy Taylor, general manager of MasterImage 3D’s 3D Mobile Display division, says that they’re very close to making the holographic chess game from the original Star Wars film. Now that would be a sight.